1. Field of the Invention
My invention relates to security devices and more specifically to a security device for preventing the undetected removal of a handgun.
2. Description of the Related Art
Handguns are typically stored in locked cabinets or cases for safety purposes. However, collectors and dealers have a need to display their handguns in an appealing manner, such as on a stand. This presents a dilemma for collectors and dealers who wish to display their handguns at exhibitions or trade shows in a less restrictive manner than employed at home or in a store where additional security is needed: They are typically restricted to either using a locked enclosure or displaying the handgun relatively unsecured. The former method is inconvenient and burdensome. The latter method is convenient but unsafe. A device that provides adequate security at the price of excessive inconvenience discourages people from using it.
Alternatively, quick access is required where a handgun is kept for protective purposes. If a locked case is used to store the handgun, time may be lost in unlocking the case and removing the handgun. In all situations where handguns are stored, it is desirable to provide an alarm to indicate that the gun has been moved by an unauthorized person or a child.
The problem of balancing handgun security with handgun accessibility has been addressed by others in the past. U.S. Pat. No. 4,155,608 issued to Orlewicz discloses a wallmountable gun cabinet having a hinged door, the face of which is disguised as a decorative wall article. A lockable inner door provides some additional measure of security. U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,021 issued to Ferraro discloses a case or safe with an electronic lock having a touch pad on which a code must be entered to gain access to the gun. An alarm sounds if the safe is removed from the surface on which it is mounted. U.S. Pat. No. 4,788,838 issued to Cislo discloses a lockbox for handguns that is lockably attached to a bedframe. Access is gained by entering a code with a touchpad provided on the box. None of these disclosures completely resolve the problems of the inconvenient handgun access and insecure open handgun display.
Alarm systems that have solved the accessibility problem were developed by others for use in museums. U.S. Pat. No. 4,274,088 issued to Pierson discloses a portable alarm system having spring-loaded plungers protruding out from two regions of a flat base member. The bottom plunger is depressed by the stand or table on which the base sits and the top plunger is depressed by the art work placed upon it. The two plungers are connected to switches that activate a tamper alarm if either plunger extends to full protrusion when the alarm is armed. The mechanical plunger switches require that the art object be placed precisely on top of the plunger end to fully depress it. This presents difficulties for irregularly shaped objects, such as handguns. In addition, there is no means for adjusting the resistance of the spring-loaded plungers for objects having different weights. Also, the plunger switches, being accessible, may be defeated by slipping a thin object between the end of the top plunger and the art object or the end of the bottom plunger and the stand or table. It is therefore desirable to prevent access to the sensing means.
The prior art presents no adequate solutions to the problem of securely displaying a handgun, while allowing it to be accessed easily and quickly by authorized persons. In many situations where guns are displayed, high-security enclosures are unnecessary. A security device that allows the owner the option of using it with additional security measures, when circumstances require such, would be highly desirable. These unresolved problems and deficiencies are clearly felt in the art and are solved by my invention in the manner described below.